Arsenal's Champions League Fate: How Many Points Will They Need to Secure Top Spot?
One of the problems however with this season’s Champions League is that the 36 team league table is so ludicrously complicated it is nigh on impossible to know how many points a club is going to need to get to the the top group. So we’ve tried to pull together the most simplified version we can without pictures of logos and the like that most people seem to want to include.
Navigating the Champions League Maze
Some teams go through, some teams to somewhere else, and some teams don’t. I hope that summarises the full situation in as clear and concise a way as possible. All may become clear in due course. Or not, as the case may be.
The Team Selection Conundrum
The Evening Standard takes a look at the game and of course, focuses on all of Arsenal’s problems and the “slump” that the club is alleged to be suffering from – “slump” seems to be one of the media’s words of the week.
As for injuries the media like to tell us that Martin Odegaard is still out (which I would have thought was bleedingly obvious) and there are serious doubts about Saka and Timber as they haven’t been seen in training (although they might have been hiding from intrusive journalists of course). Both men are suffering from playing in internationals as indeed is Odegaard. When will they ever learn?
If Timber returns to the side he will be “thrown straight back into the team after being out with a muscular problem” – according to the nutters at the Standard, who seem to be unable to recognise the level of medical care and careful preparation in training that is now part of everyday life at a major football club. Still, I suppose if you work in an organisation that publishes unchecked facts on occasion, maybe the assumption is that everyone else does the same.
They do however get a little more speculative and interesting thereafter saying that “Jorginho could come into the side in place of Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz may slot into there, too.” They add that “Ethan Nwaneri is an option, but Arteta suggested on Monday he is unlikely to start.” So they go with
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori;
Havertz, Jorginho, Rice;
Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli
Pain in the Arsenal offer up
David Raya
Ben White – William Saliba – Gabriel (captain) – Riccardo Calafiori
Declan Rice- Mikel Merino – Ethan Nwaneri
Raheem Sterling – Kai Havertz – Gabriel Martinelli
90 min go with a slight variation
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori;
Rice, Jorginho, Havertz;
Sterling, Jesus, Martinelli.
They also predict a 3-0 victory which would be rather nice.
The Referees' Influence
“French referee Benoit Bastien, 41, is a 13-year veteran of European football, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to the odd clanger.” So says the Mirror. It’s funny that they tend not to say such things about PGMO employees. Could it be that PGMO have issued a diktat – any media that criticises referees should have their press passes removed?
Anyway, there is something very strange about this man’s record in Europe…
For according to the figures from Transfermarkt he has overseen four games this season in Ligue 1 in Fracce and dished out an amazing 24 yellow cards – obviously an average of six a game. If he carries on like that for tonight’s match, and taking into account the way that referees from different countries interpret the rules in their own ways, we might end up with far fewer than 22 players on the pitch.
Arsenal's Performance and the Media's Take
I was so impressed with the neutrality of the commentary tonight.
I particularly loved Shearer’s comment after 87 minutes, that “it’s a big if” if Arsenal can hold on…..given Shaktar hadn’t actually had a shot on target at that point!
I mean Alan F’in Shearer…completely failed manager big time telling us all how Arteta was rubbish and Shearer knew exactly what needed to be done to improve things….
And part of my bloody TV Licence pays his F’in wages!!
No, it wasn’t our best performance but give me two minutes on match of the day and I’d talk more sense than Shearer….but then I’m neither stupid or self-opinionated.
A Final Thought
“I believe the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes an art.” A Wenger
I don’t live in London any more and have to deal with all sorts of glory hunters who slag us off at every opportunity. Your link will be very helpful in the pub!! Cheers!
